Humanitarian aid must immediately reach Gaza's besieged resoidents and should not be politicised, the International Commitee of the Red Cross said on Monday.
Israel's security cabinet overnight approved plans to expand military operations that include "moving most of the population" of the Palestinian territory.
"Humanitarian aid should not be politicised. The level of need among civilians in Gaza right now is overwhelming, and aid needs to be let in immediately," ICRC spokesman Christian Cardon told AFP in Geneva.
"Under international humanitarian law, Israel has an obligation to use all means available to ensure that the basic needs of the civilian population under its control are met," he added.
Israel has accused Hamas of diverting humanitarian aid -- which Hamas denies -- and said its blockade was necessary to pressure the militant group to release Israeli hostages.
"The ICRC manages and distributes humanitarian supplies directly or together with our partners, so we see where those items go," Cardon said.
"Our deliveries into Gaza are conducted in full transparency with all relevant authorities. We recognise safety concerns but given the immense need for humanitarian assistance we urgently insist that the authorities speed up the process to deliver life-saving aid to the people in Gaza and help facilitate a safe environment for delivery."
Bd-Pratidin English/ARK
